Stalemate
by ZehnD
Summary: TemariXShikamaru. The truth comes out when somebody dies.


Temari watched Konoha from the window in her room at the inn. It was amazing how mundane these people could be. She'd grown up the eldest child and only daughter of the Kazekage, and the sister of a blood-thirsty little boy who was possessed by a raccoon demon. Her mother had died when she was a mere 4 years old, and her father had made many attempts on the life of her youngest sibling. Her uncle had been killed due to one of these attempts, and about 3 years ago her father had been asassinated. Death met Temari at every turn. So, of course, everyday life in the Village Hidden in the Leaves was less than exhilerating. The fact that she was keeping an eye on the clock didn't help her impatience or boredom.

"Where is he?" she muttered to herself, twidling her thumbs in annoyance. Perhaps she should complain to the Fifth? The spiteful thought made her smile to herself. How demented that would be, crying to Tsunade-sama just because that dumb little Chuunin was late. It would be satisfying though, especially after that comment he'd made about her hair the other day...

With an unexpected rush of wrathful thoughts, Temari hopped off her bed and began pacing, teeth clenched and arms crossed. He was probably off with Sakura. After all, they'd had that little fling all those years ago... Or maybe he was with Ino, giving in to her whorish charms. That was just like him, ditching her for some flakey bitch who didn't eat enough and was too obsessed with her looks. Stupid Ino. It'd be nice to show her who was boss, who was the true object of affection...

Object of affection? Oh, gag, no way. Temari collapsed back on the bed. Maybe this was his intent, to get her riled up. He was nothing special to her. Just a dumb, repeated mistake. But no more. When he finally showed up, she'd not even be there. She'd be off getting ramen, maybe flirting up someone else in the village. That'd be good, making him suffer...

With renewed vigor, she hopped back off the bed and went into the bathroom to check herself over. She had to look especially nice for this. She had to show him what he'd loss. Wasn't that Naruto boy supposed to be in town? Oh, how great, hanging on some moron Genin instead of being with him, like she said she would be...

Then he knocked. Temari momentarily glanced at the window, seeking an escape route, but on second thought decided to just be awful to him to his face. That'd be more immediately satisfying.

With her nose held high, she opened the door and glared as painfully as she could manage.

Shikamaru didn't notice. "Can I come in?" he inquired in a low, expectant voice.

"I was just about to leave."

The Nara boy's gaze was unsettling. Temari could feel her insides be examined by his scrutinizing eye, and she shifted her weight uncomfortably. After a pause, Shikamaru stepped past her and entered her room, fully uninvited. Lazily, he slouched onto the bed and stayed there, staring blanky out the window (presumably at the clouds). Temari blanched. After a second of dumb gaping, Shikamaru glanced at her. "Well," he said, his voice flat, "aren't you going to close the door?"

Temari, despite herself, closed the door. She could feel her heart pounding and her face turning bright pink. How dare he? In a moment of unsuspected umotional instablility, she paced over to him and slugged him square in the jaw. Blood dripped out of his mouth and onto the blankets, but he continued to lay there, now just with his head tilted and his eyes wide. Slowly, he looked back at her, his face slothfully relaxing after that moment of intense pain. He seemed satisfied.

Temari hit him again. This time her aim wasn't true, and she missed his jaw, instead landing her knuckles on his nose. Blood poured out of his nostrils, and he jumped up. "You fucking hesitated," he scoffed, hurrying to the bathroom, his hand cupped under his nose and blood soaking his vest. Temari didn't budge. Her anger was already waning. It was always like this; They'd fight, and then she'd give in and let everything be all better. Shikamaru never was the one to fold. It was so unfair. Frustrated, Temari kept her mind on all the things she hated about the boy in her bathroom, but it didn't matter. She had already lost this round. He already knew, too, since she'd had second thoughts while punching him the second time. That's why she'd missed. He knew it.

The wait was a long one. Eventually the sound of running water stopped, but then there was a rustle of clothing. The tub was running now, and after a moment it stopped as well. There was water being sloshed around, and then Shikamaru came out, missing his shirt and vest. "I'm letting my clothes soak in your bathtub, to get the blood out," he announced.

"You're so selfish," Temari seethed. "You don't even ask to use my bathtub. You don't even ask to come in. I'm leaving tomorrow morning, early, this'll be the last time we see eachother for a while, and you're still so selfish."

Shikamaru yawned. When Temari's face went white, he smirked. She was getting so easily angry today. She was being quite sloppy about it, too. Strange...

"So why were you late?"

"I'm late all the time."

"Why were you late today?"

"I was hanging out with Chouji. We got bar-b-que."

"Thanks for the warning."

"Jeez, what's with you? Why are you so nit-picky today?"

Temari looked down, blushing. "It's... it's nothing..." She was paralyzed with fear. She could feel what it was that was making her lose her mind today. She just couldn't accept it, and she most certainly could not let the Nara boy know what was happening.

Leisurely, Shikamaru walked to the bed. She was watching him shyly, her eyes darting back and forth from his chest. Gently, he ran one hand up the side of her face. She flinched. Immidiately, he grabbed her by a pigtail and yanked her up, a kunai to her throat.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Temari?" he asked, stern.

Temari was shaking. "Shikamaru-kun, what are you doing?" she blurted.

"Don't make me repeat myself."

Gradually, her terror faded, and she even bagan to smile a bit. "Oh, so you care?" Her apparent courage was faulty. "We thought you hated that girl."

"My opinions of her are none of your business. Now, what did you do with her? Answer or I'll kill you."

"If you kill me, you'll never get her back." It almost sounded like a bluff, but she had a point. "Anyway, I know the way she talks about you, and if we let her go you'd never let her hear the end of how you're her savior, and she'd hunt us down herself and kill us. I'd much rather give her up to someone who gives a damn about her."

Shikamaru's face contorted into one of pure hatred. He threw the psuedo-Temari against the floor and forced himself to regain his composure.

Temari wouldn't relent now. She was getting braver by the second. "You two have suspicious interactions, but our overall assessment of the situation implies that you two have a friendship built on hate."

"Your assessment is wrong then."

"Oh really? Then what is going on between you? I mean, wouldn't you rather be rid of her anyway? Even today, when you were supposed to meet with her one last time before she goes to Suna, you were late. Late!"

"I had my reasons."

"Look, I don't really care." Temari stood up and brushed herself off. "We have plans for that girl, and they only involve people who care if she dies. So, you, my friend, are clearly out of the loop-"

Shikamaru grabbed her by the throat and shoved her against the wall. She didn't fight back. "Look, you little bitch," he growled, "there aren't many people who care about that girl more than I do, and believe me, a lot of damn people care entirely too much about her. You tell me where she is, or I will kill you right here, and then I'll go find her myself and kill all of your little buddies. Got that?"

Psuedo-Temari clenched her jaw. "You don't care about her. Don't lie."

"You don't know anything, do you? I might not let it show, but I love that girl, got it? And if you hurt even one hair on her head, so help me, you'll _wish_ you were dead." His grip on her neck tightened. "Now, tell me where she is, or I'll do this the hard way."

The girl's eyes were starting to shine with tears. Shikamaru assumed she was hurt, but her lip began to tremble. "You love her?" she asked.

Shikamaru nodded.

She began to weep. "I'm so sorry," she choked. "We killed her already."

He let go of her and stepped back, trembling, shaking his head. He couldn't believe it. None of this made sense. "Why are you crying?" he demanded, but his voice cracked. She slumped down to the floor, shaking with tears. Again, Shikamaru asked her, his voice raised desperately. She couldn't answer. She couldn't stop crying.

Before he bagan to weep himself, he strode to the door and flung it open. He wanted to threaten her life before he left, but he didn't want her to hear him sob. He'd calm down and take care of everything later. Right now his head was swimming. He stopped in the doorway, made the appropriate hand signs, and said, quietly, "Release." Nothing. Again, louder this time, "Release." Still nothing. People were staring at him. Once more, even louder, "Release." Tears streamed down his face. "Release. Release. Release! Release, god damn it!" Temari continued to sob. People continued to stare. Shikamaru continued to cry, harder and harder.

Slowly, he lowered one arm, and bit down on the other. Pain washed over him, flooded and washed away his sanity, strangled him. He bled. He didn't care.

Swiftly, he began to walk away. It didn't matter if half his clothes were still in the room. It didn't matter that people were watching him curiously. It didn't matter that there were footsteps coming after him, gaining on him. It didn't matter that his lover's killers were still alive. It didn't matter where he was going or what he was going to do. All that mattered was that Temari was dead. He hadn't even cared about her enough to show up on time. Now he could never show her how much he cared about her.

The footsteps caught up and arms wrapped around his waist, stopping him dead in his tracks. A girl was behind him. The arms looked like Temari's. The scent was Temari's. Was it her killer? Was she crazy?

Then the words came out. "You're such a jackass," she said flatly, letting him go. He turned and stared at her. "Now come inside, before you lose your entire reputation as a cold, detached, sesible human being." With that, she turned on her heel and went back to the inn. Dumbly, Shikamaru followed her. Once inside, Temari turned to him. "Well," she said, "aren't you going to close the door?" He turned white, but he closed the door.

Temari layed back on the bed and gazed out the open window. Shikamaru jumped on her and pelted her with messy kisses. When he finally stopped, all she could say was a triumphant, "I win."

He normally would've made some witty retort, but today he didn't care. Nothing had really settled in. All he knew was that the girl he loved was perfectly alright. All he wanted to do was show her how happy that made him.

The next morning, Temari got ready to leave. She had a bad feeling about what was happening in Suna. For that reason, she was leaving early. The room still smelled like sex. It made her smile. She wondered how long it would be before she got to see Shikamaru again. She still hadn't told him she loved him. The competition continued.

It hurt her to leave Konoha, but there were much more important things to her than Shikamaru. The well-being of her brothers weighed heavily on her mind, though she hoped she was just imagining things. It would be nice to recieve a comforting goodbye, but she knew she wouldn't get it.

Sadly, she stepped out the door. Lo and behold, there was Shikamaru, waiting for her, ready to walk her out. How long had he been there?

They walked to the gates. They said goodbye. Temari left. 'What a bastard,' she thought to herself as she walked away. 'I was really hoping he'd say he loved me. Oh well. Looks like another stalemate.'


End file.
